Thanks to funding from the Iowa Agriculture Awareness Coalition (IAAC) and a grant from the Shared Solutions agricultural initiative of the Altria family of companies, a new Iowa Food Production Web video and leader's guide are being made available to youth educators across the state of Iowa.

The 15-minute video, designed for 4-6 grade youth, is narrated by an animated spider that takes students on a magical trip through his web to learn about Iowa foods. During the trip, students learn about common Iowa crops and livestock while examining how food is processed, distributed and marketed across the state. Finally, students learn how all the parts or strands of the Iowa food production web are connected and why they are an important part of the web.

"It's exciting to be involved in this project and to see it introduced to the schools. Students are giving the video great reviews," said Sean Dolan, chair of the IPPA Consumer Information Committee. "They are drawn in by the entertaining format, but most importantly, they're learning valuable lessons about pork production and Iowa agriculture."

A portion of the video was filmed on the Burt farm near Marshalltown with Allen Burt, a past Pork All-American recipient, explaining how they care for their hogs.

The Iowa Food Production Web video ties into the Where We Live curriculum created by Iowa State University Extension 21 Food, Fiber and Environmental Science program. The videos will be distributed through Extension's in-school teacher trainings as well as through IAAC programs such as Iowa Farm Bureau's "Ag in the Classroom."

The IAAC is one of 13 U.S. agricultural organizations receiving contributions from Shared Solutions in 2003, according to Katherine Trent, director of agricultural relations for Altria Corporate Services, Inc. "The Shared Solutions program is all about people working together for the future of agriculture, and one of the ways we can work together is by educating consumers on agriculture's value and impact," says Trent.

Now entering its fourth year, the Shared Solutions agricultural initiative addresses issues common to agricultural producers and ag-based consumer products companies. Since its inception in 1999, Shared Solutions has awarded more than $1 million in grants to non-profit organizations throughout the agricultural chain.

More resources for Iowa classrooms
More resources to be introduced soon from the IAAC include a newsletter with activities and information about agriculture in Iowa and fact sheets for teachers to understand issues centered around grain farming and livestock production in the state.

Ag Times is a student magazine that focuses on the history of the land in Iowa and agriculture. The magazines are part of a new "Where We Live" K-6 agriculture awareness curriculum that is being introduced to teachers this year.

Two sets of fact sheets; Animal Care, and Water Quality, designed to provide educators with factual information on timely agricultural issues are nearing completion. The fact sheets provide in-depth information regarding these issues. These resources will also be part of the "Where We Live" curriculum and will be distributed to educators statewide. Additional fact sheets addressing soil conservation and pest management are in development.